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Pulmonary hypertension - Symptom

Alternative Names

Pulmonary arterial hypertension; Sporadic primary pulmonary hypertension; Familial primary pulmonary hypertension; Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension; Primary pulmonary hypertension; PPH; Secondary pulmonary hypertension

Symptoms:

Signs and tests:

A physical examination may show:

  • Enlargement of the veins in the neck
  • Normal breathing sounds
  • Heart murmur
  • Feeling of a pulse over the breastbone
  • Liver and spleen swelling
  • Leg swelling

In early stages of the disease, the exam may be normal or almost normal. The condition may take several months to diagnose. Asthma causes similiar symptoms and must be ruled out.

Tests may include:

  • Reviewed last on: 8/21/2007
  • Updated by: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. (March 2007)

References

McGoon M, Gutterman D, Steen V, et al. Screening, early detection, and diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2004 Jul;126(1 Suppl):14S-34S.

Sahara M, Takahashi T, Imai Y, et al. New insights in the treatment strategy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2006 Oct;20(5):377-86.

Hayes D Jr. Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension misdiagnosed as asthma. J Asthma. 2007 Jan-Feb;44(1):19-22.

Austin ED, Loyd JE. Genetics and mediators in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Clin Chest Med. 2007 Mar;28(1):43-57.